The Stolen Chapters: Story Thieves, Book 2
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Stolen Chapters is the second installment in James Riley's wacky Story Thieves series, featuring tweens jumping in and out of fictional book worlds and getting into all kinds of trouble. In this case, it's the world of mystery novels, as a descendant of Sherlock Holmes seeks revenge on our heroes, a character finds herself about to be murdered in a locked room, another is framed for burning down his mother's library, and a cop's daughter chooses a life of crime. "Fictional" and "real" worlds collide, characters spend a lot of time worrying about being products of someone else's imagination, and the narrator wonders whether the author actually exists. Several kids have lost a parent, and one's determination to find her father is important to the plot. A cliffhanger ending sets up Book 3, Secret Origins.
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What's the Story?
THE STOLEN CHAPTERS -- nine of 'em, each page heavily blacked out, open the book -- hold the key to why, in the wake of Book 1's events, young Owen, Bethany, and Kiel aren't going peaceably about their middle school business. We have no idea why Owen and Kiel suddenly wake up in the library where Owen's mom works -- just before a villain from the fictional world sets fire to it and frames them. Or how Bethany managed to get chained to a chair in a sealed room with the water rising. Or quite a few other things. Neither, as it turns out, do they. Aided by random flashbacks, our heroes try to piece together how they got into this fix -- and, more to the point, how to get out of it. Also, how to help Bethany find her long-lost father.
Is It Any Good?
This sequel's ever-surprising plot, wacky-and-a-bit-dark humor, and relatable worries of the tween characters will please Book 1's fans and recruit lots of new ones for the Story Thieves series. On any page of this wild tale you'll find alien planets, cartoon criminals, a deranged descendant of Sherlock Holmes, or an angsty discussion about being the product of someone else's imagination. And that's just the beginning, as author "James Riley" tries to stir up confusion about whether he exists, confronts kids with their fictional selves, and more. Not every reader is going to have the patience for The Stolen Chapters' sheer looniness, but those who do will be thoroughly entertained.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories where kids from our world travel to the worlds of books, as they do in Story Thieves. What other examples do you know? Why do you think people like these stories?
If you could take characters from one book and put them in another, which ones would you pick? How do you think that might change the story?
How do you think one of the book characters you like would feel if he or she suddenly landed in our world, like Kiel does in this series?
Book Details
- Author: James Riley
- Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Book Characters, Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Aladdin
- Publication date: January 19, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 368
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: August 15, 2021
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